But the Toronto native is quickly proving to National Hockey League scouts that he’s much more than a hockey heavy­weight who treats pucks like burning biscuits.

The freshman, who will be tested against Har­vard tonight in the first round of the annual Beanpot Tour­na­ment at the TD Garden, is the country’s top col­le­giate prospect, according to the NHL Cen­tral Scouting Bureau. He could be picked in the first round of the NHL Draft in June.

“It’s really just talk right now,” says Olek­siak, who earned a spot on the pre­lim­i­nary roster for the 2011 U.S. National Junior team. “I love North­eastern and the coaching staff, so it’s early to say what’s going to happen.”

Olek­siak, who posted two goals and six assists through the club’s first 25 games, pos­sesses a unique blend of strength and agility that invokes com­par­isons to NHL super­star Zdeno Chara, the tallest pro hockey player of all time.

“Chara’s a big guy, but he’s very mobile and has a great ability to get pucks through to the net,” says Olek­siak, who split time with the Sioux Falls Stam­pede and the Chicago Steel of the U.S. Hockey League before lacing up his skates for the Huskies. “I like to carry the puck out of my own zone and make smart plays by passing to the forwards.”

Olek­siak will use his size, deft hands and high hockey IQ to help North­eastern make a run in the Hockey East play­offs. After begin­ning the season with only two wins in the first 14 games, the Huskies have picked up points in nine of the last 11.

Olek­siak credits the turn­around to better team chem­istry and improved team defense. The sta­tis­tics bear this out: The Huskies sur­ren­dered 2.5 goals per game over the first 14 games of the season, but only 1.8 goals per game over the last 11.

“We have a young defense and a lot of freshman,” says Olek­siak. “Guys were ner­vous and were trying to prove them­selves and do too much. As the season’s gone on, guys have gained con­fi­dence in our system and played a stronger defen­sive game.”

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